A New Perspective (closed)

[saedo]

Closed for Elise Costello

(FYI: The following project began via private messages until the authors decided to make it a forum thread. This initial post includes those prior exchanges.)

Sex--it was still this anomalous concept in many ways to Quinn Stephens. A freshman in college, she'd certainly had experiences. Plenty of times she'd nearly been caught with her hands down a boy's pants while having them over to 'hang out' or left her bra here and there. Or well...okay, maybe not plenty--but several! A few...A handful, at least. For sure!

It just hadn't ever been very high on her List of Important Shit. School was stressful if you spent too much time fucking off, and between her basic classes, photography, and her afterschool job, she'd never really had the time. Plus boys could just be so...crass. Mean. Shallow. Girls too, really. Just a lot of people during high school. But that hadn't ever really mattered since she had the coolest best friend and that was enough.

Justin O'shea had always been there when she needed anything. Somebody to practice her presentations with, study buddies, something to keep her warm when her scatter-brained self left her jacket and umbrella in the cafeteria after lunch--they had been through almost everything and come out better for it because of each other. Of course, he hadn't really had the hardest time making friends. Girls couldn't seem to keep themselves away from him after puberty, and he was a pretty chill guy who was fun to be around--but no matter what, Quinn only needed to call and he was over to help with homework or catch the latest Marvel movie with her. It was great. Better than great!

It was nice, and comfortable. There were no pretenses or worries with Justin. From grade school when he'd helped her to the nurse after falling out of a tree, the two had clicked like nothing else and everything since then was better and better. He was like...well, kind of like a big brother. But at the same time, she never really saw him as family per say. She had an older brother, and if she sat around in her undies and tank top with him watching movies, it would've felt fucking not okay. But it was just a Saturday night with Justin. It was easy and the perfect way to stay sane now that college had started.

So it was no surprise when Friday rolled around to start off Christmas break, Quinn was all cozy in her fuzzy Christmas socks and a big t-shirt over her boy-cut undies waiting for Justin to show. She had Netflix all setup on her laptop and Chinese food on the way, glad her boss had been nice enough to say she could take the day off to enjoy the first bit of Christmas break before trying to cram in some extra shifts to make sure she had the funds for gifts this year. Her red hair was pulled back in a haphazard bun, the only makeup some mascara and rosy peach gloss. Katy Perry was on in the background as Quinn sang half-assedly while going over the list of stuff to watch. Justin had said he was bringing something special--which usually meant wine-coolers he'd taken from home. Being under 21 still, the only time they got to drink was when they could swipe the bitch beers from home. Not that Quinn minded too much; Jamaican Me Crazy was stupidly tasty for a wine cooler, and it gave her the giggles when she had enough.

Justin grinned widely and held up his backpack when Quinn opened the door. "Do I deliver or do I deliver?" he declared as he reached in and pulled out a pair of wine coolers. "Ice cold from the fridge, no less."

They exchanged a quick hug in the doorway before Quinn snagged a bottle and sashayed back inside. Justin closed the door behind them and followed her into the room.

Watching his friend from behind, Justin couldn't help but feel a twinge of libidinous regret that he and Quinn were such close friends. On the one hand, it was kinda cool to have a female buddy that he could talk to about anything. Most of his male friends only had two types of personal relationships with the opposite sex: girlfriends or family. Justin often felt some of his success with girls was owed to his bond with Quinn.

But being "just friends" with Quinn had been easier when they were younger. In those early years, it did not even enter into the equation. And when puberty hit, Justin was the one who sprouted like a weed while Quinn remained kind of unremarkable. Consequently, he was the one who the high school girls fawned over freshman year while Quinn retreated into the background.

Somewhere in the last couple years, though, that all changed. After a rather long awkward phase, Quinn grew up and out into a rather spectacular example of femininity. Everyone soon took notice, though not in the most positive of ways. The pretty girls went from dismissing her as a plain Jane to being jealous of her incredible beauty; their insults changed, but the snark remained unchanged.

Meanwhile half the guys in school started hitting on her. Most approached it with all the grace and subtlety of a heavy metal drum solo: licking their lips and staring at her tits while they asked her out. Few made it much further. Based on what Quinn had told him -- and she generally told Justin pretty much everything -- there'd been some beneath the clothes but outside the underwear fondling here and there, but she'd yet to go beyond that with anyone.

In retrospect, Justin could spot a couple moments where, if he'd chosen a different approach, perhaps he might have been Quinn's first. But since he'd usually had a girlfriend at the time and since treating Quinn as something beyond "just friends" felt slightly improper, he had always chosen the status quo. Had that been a mistake? Or were they better off as they were?

Not that it mattered now. Things were what they were and it was too late to change. So instead he allowed himself a brief ogling of her ridiculous curves from behind as he followed her inside before shifting back into platonic interest mode moments later.

Justin popped open a wine cooler for himself and took a swig. Too sweet by half, but still a not unpleasant way to get a buzz on. "So what's on the agenda tonight?" he inquired. "It's your turn to choose."

Quinn snatched one of the wine coolers immediately after Justin showed, desperate for a little bit of a buzz. It always helped her relax, and that was the entire point of Christmas break, right? "Yeah yeah, you deliver alright." she joked back, plopping back down on the couch. He asked about the plan for tonight and Quinn shimmied her shoulders a bit before twisting the top off the wine cooler and taking a swig. "Y'know, same old; food, Netflix and chill. I got dinner on the way--oh! They said they were out of broccoli beef, so I got you Mongolian beef instead. Hope you don't mind." He was a teenage boy though, and he pretty much could and would eat whatever was in front of him. She grinned at the mention of it being her turn, since it was the only[/i[ way she ever got him to watch one of her favorite guilty pleasures.

"Well, I figure we still have the second season of Vampire Diaries to get through...And we have the whole vacay to do it, so." It was an awful, dumb, convoluted show--but Ian Somerhalder was a dream, god dammit! And it was fun to laugh at and poke fun of while watching. Though it sometimes got a bit weird with all the sex scenes they'd been cramming in lately; not weird-weird, but Quinn couldn't always help but get a little bit perky in the nip area when it happened. So far Justin had never said anything or even teased her about it, so it was probably fine. It was in the middle of Klaus trying to break his curse, though. Pretty much nobody was getting nookie while that was going on. Hopefully.

Quinn settled into her spot, leaning into Justin as he got comfy beside her and hit play on the Netflix window before Justin could complain too much, dangling her legs over his. It was kind of chilly, and putting on pants would have likely solved the problem, but pants were so uncomfy. As the little beginning recap played, Quinn noticed Justin seemed a bit quieter than usual. Hm. "Hey. I know you probably don't wanna talk about it, but...is it about Daniella? This whole vibe you're putting off tonight?" she asked, knowing things had been rocky for a couple of weeks now between him and his girlfriend. Quinn had done her best not to pry too much, since she was sure him being so cool and open with her had been part of why Dani was throwing such a fuss. But she had to know what was up; Justin was her BFF. If something was wrong, it was not only her duty to know and help, but her right. It wasn't exactly uncommon for some of the girls who went after Justin to be not thrilled about his friendship with her, but most got over it or just backed out quietly.

Daniella had seemed to take an entirely different approach, however. And Quinn could only assume from how little Justin told her about it, it was likely a lot of negativity and shit aimed towards Quinn. Which the girl knew meant Justin would've been doing his best to hide it from her, because he didn't want her feeling guilty for some girl being cray. Being friends wasn't something they ever wanted each other to feel guilty for. That was stupid. Quinn leaned a little closer and poked Justin's cheek with her nose. "I can break out my emergency finals candy stash if we need. There's a crapton of Snickers right now. The good kind--with almonds. Not the pleb peanut ones."

Justin suppressed a smile at her choice of words. Though Quinn was definitely more adult than she'd been, she was in many respects still innocent. Justin doubted that she knew that "Netflix and chill" had a strong sexual connotation; his friend likely thought it just meant "let's hang out and watch TV."

Still, there was a slight sexual component in her viewing choice. Quinn unquestionably had the hots for some of the pretty Hollywood stars of "Vampire Diaries." (Not that he could disagree; some of them were kinda hot.) When the on-screen action heated up, his friend's nipples had a tendency to become unmistakably prominent no matter what she was wearing. He'd be a liar if he denied rather enjoying the view.

Hey. I know you probably don't wanna talk about it, but...is it about Daniella? This whole vibe you're putting off tonight?

Justin grimaced. He really hadn't wanted to talk about it. Partly that was because he didn't see a solution to the problem. At least, not a pleasant one.

Things with Dani had been great at first. Random hook-ups usually flamed out after a week or so, but Dani hadn't lost her enthusiasm for him. She'd also proven happy and energetic with her clothes on as well, so they'd had a series of fun dates.

But friction had started to develop soon after Dani met Quinn. That his girlfriend thought "my friend Quinn" referred to another guy had been an unwelcome surprise. That Quinn was not only female but also an incredibly curvaceous beauty had only added to the problem. Dani immediately began show signs of jealousy.

Initially it wasn't too bad, but in recent weeks the tension had steadily escalated. Despite his repeated assurances that Quinn was just a friend, Dani grew increasingly displeased. Her subtle hints that she'd like him to see less of Quinn had become more frequent and somewhat less subtle. His girlfriend's recent disinterest in physical intimacy was a very strong signal that matters were coming to a head. Dani wasn't yet ready to issue an ultimatum, but their relationship was on trajectory towards one: choose Dani or Quinn.

It was not a choice he wanted to make.

"Yes," Justin grimly acknowledged. Quinn would see through a denial, so best not to try. "Things aren't great between Dani and me now. But best you stay out of it. It's my problem to deal with and I don't want you getting caught in the crossfire."

Quinn sighed, giving Justin an empathetic look. "Tch, Justin, you know I'm not gonna just ignore that you're dealing with shit. Crossfire or not, that's what I do." She shakes her head and sits up a little straighter on the couch next to the guy. "Talk to me--I can't enjoy crappy teenage vampire angst if I know you're sitting here miserably because something's up with you and your bae." Quinn bites her lip, searching his eyes for that part of him that always caved and never could shut her out. They told each other everything; they'd only survived high school probably because of that bond. The redhead holds up a finger against Justin's lips before he can protest.

"Just...humor me, please? Tonight we can put Netflix on hold and just, talk. Like old times." She grabs her wine cooler and takes another swig, situating herself closer to her friend as she leans against him. It's close--very close--but she doesn't think anything of it. Her pressing her tits against Justin wasn't a big deal because he never tried to grab at her or anything inappropriate. Plus he was dating Dani, and that was the whole point of the conversation topic now. "Besides, maybe talking it out with me will help you figure out what the hell to do about it." She shrugs, holding out the bottle to Justin. "Or at the very least, maybe you'll feel better to just get it out there. Keeping that shit inside is bad for you, ya know? Causes like...ulcers and stuff that will make you regret more than an ugly car and a shit house when you're thirty-five. Mhm. That's a fact, just look at everybody in Florida."

 

[saedo]

Justin sighed at the inevitability of Quinn's response. Having known him so long, hiding his current mood from her was futile. Nor was his friend one to remain on the sidelines; if he had a problem, she'd instinctively want to help.

But talking with her about how she was the problem was new territory. Uncomfortable territory. "Well, the thing is, it's about you," he began.

That got her attention. Quinn rolled towards him, here eyes ablaze with interest. The positional shift added an unexpected heightening of his tension levels as Quinn's impressive bosom pressed into his torso. His friend had always been comfortable with casual contact; ever since they first met, she was throwing arms around him or leaning into him. Her instincts hadn't changed as she transformed from skinny little girl to luscious woman, so she seemed not to give a second thought if her casual friendliness sometimes meant being brushed by her plush chest.

That right there was likely the genesis of the problem, Justin suspected. Though he doubted Dani herself fully realized it, his girlfriend was very proud of her breasts. Her posture and attire often subtly drew attention to her ample endowment. And though she occasionally groused about it, Justin could see that a part of her really liked the attention; it made her feel sexy. Small wonder then that Dani might then regard Quinn and her even larger, even rounder breasts as a potential threat.

"Look, Quinn," Justin continued. "Dani basically doesn't like me spending so much time with you. She doesn't understand how a guy can be best friends with a girl and have it only be just friends. So she is a little upset that we hang out together all the time. "

 

[Elise_Costello]

Yeah, it was exactly the answer she expected. It wasn't like this was new. It just had never gotten to this point. They either got over it, or got lost. But Dani...was determined. On the one hand, Quinn had to admire that the girl thought Justin was worth her time. He was without question--probably worth more, even. But the fact that Dani could see it was rare.

...Which made the fact that the thing causing the problem being their friendship suck a little more. Quinn sighs, setting down the winecooler so she can crawl into Justin's lap and wrap her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry that us being so chill makes her that uncomfortable. But you know no matter what, like--I'm gonna be here for you. Even if you gotta maybe see...less of me to appease the gf?" Quinn groans and buries her face against Justin's shoulder. "Ugh, no. I don't even like saying it! Why can't she just get over it and be happy I don't intrude on dates and shit?" Yeah, it was a little petty. But Quinn had been there for years and years. They'd survived school together, they'd grown from gawky little kids into semi-functioning young adults together. How could they not have grown so close?

"It's not like we do anything, either--so why can't she understand that? I assume you still bang her and do all that stuff when the mood strikes you two. Does she think we fool around behind her back just...fuckin' because?" Quinn isn't some hormone-crazed girl whose loins are out of her control. Justin isn't a fuck-hungry lunatic who can't be in a room with a girl without wanting to stick his dick into her. She figured Dani knew this and could accept it. But no, apparently she just didn't know how that worked. "Does she not have guys she just hands out with, as friends? No strings--just. Just friend? Is it SUCH a foreign concept?" Quinn sighs and flops back into her spot, her shirt riding up over her stomach from the movement as she looks over at the TV screen. "Man...this is gonna put a damper on Vampire Diaries. And that show already had so much not going for it." Her eyes move over to Justin, hoping she didn't totally ruin hang night by pressing him about this. She couldn't help it; she loved the guy. He was one of the most important people in her life. If he wasn't happy or okay, she HAD to know. And she wanted to find some way to fix it.

 

[saedo]

Justin tensed slightly as Quinn shifted fully into his lap. Quinn was always a hugger and toucher, so this was standard behavior for her. But now her glorious breasts were firmly pressed against his chest. Damn, he could even feel one of her nipples through her shirt.

The sudden weight of Quinn's plump little ass was also directly atop his own groin. Dani hadn't deigned to let him near her own very nice ass in awhile, so he had to rapidly struggle not to react. He only partially succeeded, feeling a sudden surge of warmth as his cock took notice of the adjacent feminine flesh. He shifted slightly so as to minimize the connection between the partial erection now slightly visible along his right pants leg.

Quinn seemed too wrapped up in her words, so he hoped she hadn't noticed. Ordinarily he wasn't so quick to arouse, which was a valuable skill given his size; a full erection straining against his pants was embarrassingly obvious and impossible to hide, so he'd learned to mentally forestall such arousal to prevent such minor humiliations. But ordinarily, Dani kept his libido well-sated. With so much pent-up energy, his efforts to restrain his sexual desires were only partially effective right now.

Quinn rolled off him and sighed. "Man...this is gonna put a damper on Vampire Diaries. And that show already had so much not going for it."

Justin shrugged to cover his desire to groan as the warm, womanly weight on his groin disappeared. "Well, we don't have to watch if you don't feel into it any more." He glanced over at her and immediately regretted it. Her long T-shirt had ridden up, exposing her taut belly and her underwear.

Quinn didn't think of them as underwear, of course. They had little legs, so they were "shorts" . But Justin knew Quinn wouldn't walk outside with the tight little cotton shorts on, so the fact she liked to lounge around in them at her house didn't make them outerwear. And in his current state, being reminded of Quinn's slender thighs and how they went all the way up to that little V at the top . . . . Thank God that Dani wasn't here; she'd go ballistic knowing Quinn was rolling around in her underwear.

"We could watch something else. Do something else. Go for a walk. Or hang out back on the deck. Whatever."

 

[Elise_Costello]

Quinn grumbles. "Nyaaah--those sound like I have to put pants on, though." God she hated having to wear pants. Skirts and dresses had always been an option, technically, but she just...couldn't feel confident in wearing them. She didn't feel like she could pull it off all that well. Her hips were a bit wide and her butt stuck out all weird. It was so nerve-wracking to put one on and feel everybody staring at her, like a pig in makeup or something. Agh, now she was feeling self-conscious. The girl let out her breath and ran her hands over her face and through her hair. This was the sort of feelings that had her so desperately needing some time to just unwind with Justin.

"How about we just get, like, stupid wasted since my parents won't be back until Sunday, and just stop thinking about school and shit that's getting us down?" She gives her friend a playful grin as she nudges him with her foot. "Maaaybe after, I'll feel like putting on some sorts and we can go stare at the stars on the deck? Or go for a walk and try to not cause too much trouble for my neighbors." Just something easy. Something mindless. Quinn was so tired of being stressed and insecure and weary from dealing with so many people she didn't really know. Even with college being far less awful socially, she was still having a bit of trouble putting herself out there. It just never was as easy to talk to people as it was with Justin, and it was so hard not to get discouraged by that. Shouldn't it be easy?

 

[saedo]

"Probably too chilly," Justin conceded. "Well, maybe the hot tub, but at some point you have to get out Snr then you freeze, right?" He nodded his head in agreement. "Drunken oblivion it is."

"But if we're going to do that," he continued, "then I suggest we ditch the wine coolers." He hefted himself up from the couch. "Don't your keep a bottle of vodka in the fridge? Probably can find some orange juice and make some extra strong screwdrivers."